1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of muscle training devices. More specifically the present invention relates to a muscle memory training apparatus for training a ball player in proper elbow elevation at the beginning of a throw, namely at shoulder level. The apparatus includes a frame, an elbow support cup assembly mounted to and projecting forwardly from the frame and a spring-loaded reel mounted to the frame a distance above the support cup assembly corresponding to forearm length, the spring-loaded reel having a retracting line secured to a ball mounted to the frame. A fastening mechanism is provided on the frame for fastening the apparatus to a pole or other anchoring structure at a suitable elevation.
The elbow support cup assembly preferably includes a support cup arm having an arm connected end fastened to the frame and an arm cup end to which an upwardly opening cup is fastened. The cup preferably has an open forward end to permit a user arm to pivot or the elbow to slide forwardly out of the cup during throwing motion. The frame for the first embodiment preferably is an open box structure having a two opposing and spaced apart frame sides each bordered by a frame side perimeter portion, the frame side perimeter portions being interconnected by frame side connecting segments. Within each frame side perimeter portion a side sheet, preferably of mesh, grid or solid sheet material is provided, and preferably perimeter sheets of solid, mesh or grid sheet material also extend between frame side perimeter portions parallel to the side connecting segments. The arm connected end preferably is fastened to a lower segment of one of the frame side perimeter portions, or to a perimeter sheet extending between the lower segments of the frame side perimeter portions. The spring-loaded reel preferably is a self-contained unit within a reel housing secured to upper and forward segments of the frame side perimeter portions, or to the side sheets within the frame side perimeter portions. The frame, side sheets and perimeter sheets preferably are formed of metal such as steel, but may be formed of a suitable durable plastic as well. The fastening mechanism preferably includes at least one flexible tying member for wrapping through the frame and around a selected anchoring structure.
For the second embodiment, the apparatus includes a height adjustment structure which permits readjustment of ball to correspond to the height of any individual user. For this embodiment, the apparatus includes an upright member for mounting to a pole or other anchoring object at a suitable elevation with tying members of the fastening mechanism, a spring-loaded reel housing containing the spring-loaded reel being fastened to a slide member of height adjustment mechanism in turn fastened to the outward face of the upright member, and a support cup arm having an arm connected end fastened to and protruding outwardly from the upright member below the reel housing. The reel housing has a housing port through which the retracting line passes.
To use the apparatus, the user places his or her elbow in the elbow support cup, and then grasps and throws the ball outwardly from the apparatus. As the user throws, his or her elbow normally will leave the elbow support cup, but this is acceptable because the exercise is to train the muscle memory for elbow elevation at the start of the throw. The spring-loaded reel causes the line secured to the ball to retract after the ball travels a few feet, so that the exercise can be repeated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been practice devices for permitting a user to repeatedly throw a ball or swing a bat. A problem with prior thrown devices has been that they have not provided a positioning mechanism for holding the user elbow at a proper elevation for beginning a throw, so that the throwing muscles are mis-trained.
Prior pitching and throwing exercise devices include Crowson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,196, issued on Jul. 2, 2002. Crowson includes a mechanism housing mounted to an upright post extending upwardly from a platform, the mechanism housing containing a pulley and an eccentric cam and a spring-loaded cam tensioning device. A cable pulley connects the pulley to a cam wheel and protrudes from the housing for connection to an object to be gripped such as a bat which is pulled for exercise.
Crowson provided an earlier pitching and batting conditioning device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,512, issued on Dec. 14, 1993. This device is attached to a support surface such as a wall and includes one or more rotatably mounted drums within the housing having different diameters and cables wrapped around each drum for requiring different levels of force to pull against the biasing of an axially mounted spring. A ball or bat is attached to the free end of the selected cable for gripping and pulling to train muscles used in throwing and batting.
Greenwald, U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,132, issued on Feb. 21, 1995 teaches a free standing rotator cuff development device. One embodiment includes a telescoping post having a post upper segment rotatably fitted into a post lower segment which extends upwardly from a base structure, and includes an upwardly or laterally opening elbow cup into which a user rests an elbow. The user rotates the elbow to exercise the muscles at the rotator cuff and may grip a hand weight while doing so. A rod with a mounted hand grip optionally protrudes from the elbow cup structure to rotate together with the elbow cup.
Finch, U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,598, issued on Jan. 12, 1993, reveals an exerciser for softball pitches. Finch includes a rotatable arm rotatably connected to a bearing structure protruding laterally from a support pole so that the arm rotates within a vertical plane, and a ball on a cord is tied to the rotatable arm free end. The bearing structure provides adjustable levels of rotation resistance through progressive clamping of a rotatable surface against brake pads, so that as a user pulls the ball through a throwing motion, the rotatable arm rotates against brake pad resistance.
Sagedahl, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,545, issued on Jun. 3, 1986, discloses an isokinetic exercise apparatus and method. Sagedahl, et al. includes a shaft connected to a counter-torque machine and a torque arm mounted to the shaft for rotation against counter-torque machine resistance. A ball on a cord may be connected to the torque arm so that a user can pull the ball through a throwing motion against the resistance of the counter-torque machine.
Walker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,212, issued on Nov. 18, 1997 teaches a rota-flex freestanding rotational motion and relative displacement training apparatus. Walker includes a vertical support having upper and lower rotational resistance assemblies with adjustable resistance and adjustable elevation.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a muscle memory training apparatus for training a user in throwing a ball which includes elbow supporting means for holding the user elbow at the proper elevation at the beginning of the throw.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which automatically returns the ball after each throw for rapid repeated use during training.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is compact and easy to install on any of a wide variety of anchoring structures.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus including a height adjustment structure permitting readjustment of the height of the ball to correspond to the heights of successive individual users of different heights.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is sturdy, safe and economical to manufacture.